Public transit riders used to have to just settle for the route that Google Maps dictated—no discussion, no sharing of feelings, nothing. But, the newest iteration of Maps will tailor the route to your preferences while looking gorgeous on Ice Cream Sandwich.

With version 6.5, Maps now allows the user to select his preferred method of public conveyance—be it bus, subway, train, or street car—as well as weight the potential routes based on the walking distance, number of transfers and the overall travel time. These options are available in 475 cities worldwide. Google also redesigned the home page for easier navigation.

For ICS users, the homepage will also display quick links to starred locations and the contacts list. Thanks to high pixel-density screens on the likes of the Galaxy Nexus, Galaxy S II, and RAZR, Maps now displays high-definition tiles that reputedly are easier to read, faster to load, and smoother to scale. The side-by-side shows the older, SD version on the left and the new HD version on the right. Maps for Android is available at Google Play.